Wensleydale with Cranberries

Wensleydale with cranberries, with grapes

Produced in a town in Hawes in Wensleydale, North Yorkshire, this Wensleydale cheese is made in four different types.

Real Yorkshire Wensleydale – This is usually shaped in a variety of different moulds, pressed and preserved in wax.

Mature Wensleydale – Slightly harder than the others, this is the more highly flavoured versions of the Real Yorkshire Wensleydale.

Blue Wensleydale – With blue veins, this is again produced in many varieties and as well as being highly flavoured it is less salty than the classic Blue Stilton.

Smoked Wensleydale – This is cold smoked to produce a special tang and texture.

I have chosen Wensleydale with Cranberry. The pale colour of the cheese contrasts with the red cranberries and this allows for a full, natural and bitter-sweet flavour. This is one of the most popular fruit varieties.

Wensleydale, made from cow’s milk, is eaten young, normally matured for between a fortnight and three months, and the texture becomes crumblier with maturity.